Wall switch cover plates



March 10, 1954 G. M. CRABTREE 3,123,918

DEVICE FOR ALIGNING RECEFTACLE AND WALL SWITCH COVER PLATES Filed July 14. 1960 IN VEN TOR.

Gerald M. Crabwee his- ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent Oil ice 3,123,918 DEVICE FUR ALIGNKNG RECEPTACLE AND WALL SWITEIH COVER PLATES Gerald M. Crahtree, RE). 1, Box 337, Welishurg, W. Va. Filed July 14, 196 Ser. No. 42,825 4 Claims. (ill. 33-207) The present invention relates to a device, called a plummet for mounting electrical receptacles and switches within the usual wall box, so that the cover plate when assembled thereon has its marginal edges in alignment with adjacent vertical and horizontal wall surfaces and trim.

The standard wall boxes are disposed within the wall during erection and the electrical work is completed after walls and trim, if any, are erected complete. Such standard wall boxes are purposely made with larger interior space than is occupied by the standard receptacle or switch, for ease of manipulation in attaching the wires thereto. Likewise, the outstanding lugs on such receptacles or switches for attaching same to correspond ng supporting surfaces within the wall box are provided with slotted screw fastener receiving openings. The threaded openings in such receptacles and switches, for receiving the screw fasteners holding the cover plate in place, provide for no adjustment. Hence, it is necessary to align cover plate fastener openings in the receptacle or switch, within the wall box, to a position parallel with adjacent vertical or horizontal wall and trim lines in order for the cover plate to be correspondingly aligned.

The experienced workman has developed a sense of proportion and ali nment, so that by standing away from an object he can readily discern whether its side surfaces are in alignment with adjacent horizontal and vertical wall and trim surfaces. However, the workman when securing the said receptacle or switch in place, must stand close to the work and in such positions cannot accurately determine vertical and horizontal alignment. Frequently convenience outlets are disposed adjacent the floor of a room and the workman has his head above the receptacle which he is mounting and cannot accurately align same relative to the adjacent floor and wall surfaces. It is well known that unless the cover plates for said receptacles and switches are properly aligned they present an unsightiy appearance.

One object of the present invention is to provide a tool which may be mounted on the receptacle or wall switch and retained in place during fastening the receptacle or switch in position within the Wall box so as to secure proper alignment of the screw holes for the cover plates relative to adjacent wall surfaces.

Another object of the invention is to provide a single tool which is usable with both a receptacle or wall switch for the intended purpose.

These and other objects will be made apparent from the following description and the drawing forming a part thereof, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a plan view of a preferred form of the plummet,

FIG. 2 shows a side elevation of the plummet of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 3 shows a section taken on lines IIl-IIl of FIG. 1.

Referring now to the drawing, the plummet 1 is provided with a body portion of preferably rectangular shape having top and bottom walls 2 and 3 respectively, side walls 4 and end walls 5, and 6. Preferably at the longitudinal center line of plummet 1 and adjacent end walls 5 and 6 are pins 7 which extend upwardly from the adjacent top wall 2. The body of the plummet may be of metal or rigid plastic material and the pins 7 may be of metal or other suitable strong non-metallic material. The pins 7 may be secured in place in any suitable manner 3,123,918 Patented Mar. 10, 1964 and are of a diameter to be freely insertable in the threaded openings of the switch receiving the cover plate screws. The longitudinal spacing of said pins 7 is standard, as determined by the standard switch, and this determines the length of the plummet. Preferably the length of the plummet is as short as possible.

One side wall 4 is preferably provided with recessed openings 8 spaced longitudinally thereof within which are mounted fiat prong members 9 of suitable non-conductive material and secured in place by suitable pins or fasteners ll). The spacing of the prong members 9 are determined by the spacing of the slots in a double receptacle for receiving the prongs of the usual device received therein. When the plummet is so mounted on the receptacle, it is of advantage to recess the face of top wall 2 at each side of the bottom pin 7 as indicated at 11.

The top and bottom walls 2 and 3 have an elongated opening 12 extending therethrough between the pins 7. Disposed transversely of this opening is a level vial 13 held in place by a suitable support such as 14. When the bubble 13a of the vial is centered between the sides of opening 12 and is bisected by a line connecting pins 7, the said line is perpendicular to the base of the wall. The portion of the opening 12 beneath support 14 is of such size to readily receive the usual switch toggle actuating member when the pins 7 are engaged with the cover plate fastener openings in the wall switch.

In the use of the present invention, the workman attaches the wires to the switch or receptacle in the usual manner, loosely assembles the mounting screws in the slotted ends of the receptacle or switch and in the mounting pads within thewall box. Thereafter, the plummet is mounted on the switch by means of the pins 7 entered into the openings for the cover plate screws, or by means of the prongs 9 entered into one side of the slotted openings of the receptacle. For convenience, the end wall 5 of the plummet is disposed uppermost and when the bubble of the level vial is centered in the opening 12, the screws attaching the receptacle or switch to the box are tightened in the usual manner. Thereafter, when the cover plates are fastened in place, the marginal edges of said plates will be respectively horizontal and perpendicular to the plane of the floor or corners of the room walls. Usually the workman stands to one side or the other of the vertical center line through the wall box and the upper attaching screw for the receptacle or switch is readily visible. In the case of the bottom attaching screw, it is usually below eye-level and the recesses 11 in the body of the plummet makes this bottom screw visible.

Throughout this description the plummet has been described as always used in a vertical position, and, in fact,

' the vast majority of such receptacles and substantially all the wall switches are so mounted in residences. It is within the scope of my invention to mount a second level vial 13.: provided with bubble in a direction longitudinally of the opening 12, in addition to the presently shown vial 13 to accommodate mounting of the said switches and receptacles in a horizontal position. Such a vial 13b could, if desired, be recessed into the wall 4 of the plummet between the prongs 9. The principal requirements of the plummet are satisfied when the center line connecting posts 7 and a line in the plane of the faces of the prongs 9 are parallel, and the center line of the level vial is at right angles to said first-named parallel lines or parallel therewith, depending on the position of use of the plummet.

I claim:

1. A plummet for use in aligning the cover plate of electrical wall switches within a wall box mounting with the adjacent wall surfaces comprising:

(a) an elongated body portion comprising a face portion and a longitudinal side wall portion,

(b) a pin mounted on one face of said body portion adjacent each end thereof for projection outwardly from said body portion and disposed in a plane parallel to a longitudinal side wall of the body, said pins being spaced to conform to the spacing of and receivable in the openings in said switches for reception of cover plate fasteners, and

(c) a pair of spaced prong members attached to said body and depending from the opposite face thereof, said prongs being attached to enter spaced prong receiving slots at one side of a convenience outlet receptacle, the corresponding faces of said prongs being disposed in a single plane which is spaced from and parallel with a plane bisecting said spaced pins,

(d) a longitudinally extending slotted opening through said body between said pins and at one side of said prongs, and

(e) a level vial mounted on said body within said opening and having the effective longitudinal centerline of the vial at right angles to a line bisecting the centers of said pins and to the common plane of said a level vial mounted on said body, said vial having its effective longitudinal centerline at right angles to a line bisecting the centers of said aligned body pins.

2. The plummet as defined in claim 1 wherein a second level vial is mounted upon said body with the effective longitudinal centerline of said second vial disposed at right angles to the effective longitudinal centerline of the first named vial. 3. A device for aligning the peripheral margins of cover plates for convenience outlet receptacles and wall switches with the marginal planes of the Walls receiving them, prongs. comprising: 4. The device as defined in claim 3 wherein a second (a) an elongated body portion of a length greater than level vial is disposed on said body portion with the effecthe spacing of the openings in said switch and receptive longitudinal centerline of said second vial disposed tacles receiving fasteners attaching said cover plates parallel with the common plane of said prongs. thereto,

(b) a pair of pins mounted on and spaced longitudinally of said body portion so as to extend outwardly from one face thereof, the spacing of said pins being equal to the spacing of and being receivable in the References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,323,039 Hill June 29, 1943 

1. A PLUMMET FOR USE IN ALIGNING THE COVER PLATE OF ELECTRICAL WALL SWITCHES WITHIN A WALL BOX MOUNTING WITH THE ADJACENT WALL SURFACES COMPRISING: (A) AN ELONGATED BODY PORTION COMPRISING A FACE PORTION AND A LONGITUDINAL SIDE WALL PORTION. 